Questioned by an AP reporter about the Ukraine military’s capture of a pair of Russian journalists working for LifeNews, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki insisted there were serious doubts among US officials as to whether the two were “real” journalists.
During the press briefing, Psaki cited reports from “on the ground” that the two had anti-aircraft missiles in their cars, and that they were carrying “fake journalist credentials” from the Donetsk People’s Republic.
Psaki in particular railed against the credentials, dubbing it the “nonexistent Donetsk People’s Republic, self-proclaimed.” The Donetsk People’s Republic is the name given by protesters to their interim government in the region, and which was affirmed in a referendum the US didn’t recognize earlier this month.
Psaki insisted the possession of credentials from them was “obvious relevant information” related to their detention and raised questions about their legitimacy. When asked if the US would call for their release once it was proven the two are “bona fide journalists,” Psaki responded “sure,” but insisted their focus was on journalists detained by the protesters, not those detained by the Ukrainian military.
Ukraine seems to be making a habit of arresting foreign journalists whose coverage doesn’t fit their own narrative, and they have also captured a British journalist, Graham Phillips, in Mariupol. Details of his detention are still sketchy, but he was reporting being accused of being a Russian spy in the lead-up to his capture, and his employer, RT, reports that authorities were demanding he delete footage he filmed at a checkpoint as one of the conditions for being handed over to the British Embassy in Kiev.
There is a war from Kiev governement against russian press because they show what is going on in Ukraine.It is easier to tell anything to western politicians when there are no withnesses.
About that it is interesting to see on You tube reactions of people of Slaviansk and other Donetsk region against western journalists : they usually are shouting at them saying : go away, anyway you are not telling the truth. Psaki think that we are idiots : if real or fake journalist go through an ukrainian military check point whith a car which will be obligatory checked how many anti missiles will he take with him ? It is evident that the military put the antimissiles in their car.Usually drugs are
used for that kind of operation.
Diane Feinstein hasn't given them their official journalists licenses. As anyone knows, the only 'real' journalists in the world work for the NY Times, CNN and FOX News. Everyone else is just some dang blogger on the internet and not a 'journalist' at all.
“Real Journalist”? ……you mean like Erin Burnett is a real journalist?
or wolf always blitzed
Are there any "Real Journalists" in the west? I am talking bout the MSM ones.
Today the british journalist Graham Philips working for Russia Today has been arrested when leaving Mariopol.The canal is without news about him.He may be seriously in danger because the pravy sector has promised 10000 euros for his head. That is freedom of press in action as viewed by the Kiev governement.
“nonexistent Donetsk People’s Republic, self-proclaimed.”
Is that anything like the "nonexistent legitimate (non-coup) government in Kiev, self-proclaimed."
And the comment above regarding the Russian press reporting what is really going on in Ukraine is probably correct. Almost everything the US interferers declare as "truth" seems to almost always be on it's head when non-US/EU/Ukraine aligned reporters start reporting on events. Massaging the "facts" is so much easier when press access to the battlefield is strictly controlled, such as embedding sanctioned "journalists" with the troops…of course the reporting was independent…
A Real US certified Journalist toes the current US Gubberment line WHAT ever it is and if it changes tomorrow the Journalist will change with it!
Just remember when the first reports about Sth Ossetia came out EVEN fox news was reporting that Georgia started the shelling, 24 hours later it was Russia who did it, finally a year later it was in fact proven by European investigators that it was Georgia again who started it!
The US has backed REAL Nazis for their coup and it is being noticed in some countries with Political Clout on the HILL, we will see how this pans out, but the US fought a war against NAZI practices and Svoboda is full of real active Nazis anti semetic to the core!
I wouldn't be surprised if these people are part of the armed gangs which have been operating in Donetsk. It will be interesting to see who they really are. LifeNews is an American anti-abortion website. It's hard to see what people would be doing on its behalf in Donetsk!
As Alex (above) has already pointed out, neither a real or fake journalist (or anyone else for that matter) would go through an obligatory military checkpoint with anti-aircraft missiles in their car.
Ah, the Unapologetic Voice of Neocon Hegemony. Whatever would we do without you, Mr. Kenny? After all, without your sturdy presence here, we might not get enough of the propaganda of the ruling order, as it only chokes the entire "informational" system outside this place. You bring that here, but our perspective is verboten in your preferred sources. That's it, isn't it? You can't stand to see a place where the official lies aren't parroted constantly, can you? Your feeble imperialist ego brooks no discounting the lies of the rulers, doesn't it? If you must comply and submit to blatant and obvious falsehood, so must everyone else?
Let ' s save journalist Graham (Phillips) from the national gard of Ukraine.
the state dept for sure has no diplomats